Repairing air mattresses

OzJacko · Feb 13th 2014, 11:49pm

This thread is to report what I am doing/discovering and for input from others on my issues and any extra that they can think of that may be of use to people with similar problems.

Okay. While most of you were sleeping under snowdrifts I was hard at work in my swimming pool looking for leaks in 3 air mattresses (all IM's by the way - I've never had one leak).

Mattress 1. BA QCore SL Mummy. Found a pinhole leak which I am about to patch. I will be using this pad in 2 weeks time for a few nights so will report back the effectiveness of the patch in about 3 weeks.

Mattress 2. BA QCore Insulated (25inch by 78inch). This is an enormous mat. It is also supremely comfortable until the air goes out.
Due to it's size it is extremely difficult to push it under water (I think at least 4 of me could float on it). I am so far unable to locate the leak(s). I will try agin with someone helping and will report further.

Mattress 3. NeoAir 25inch by 78inch (the original style Limon "crinkly" one).
I have found numerous small leaks along the topside of several the "weld lines" that run across the mat. Due to the number of them I am considering options. My current thought is to use seam sealer and run a line of it across all the affected lines (and a few more probably). I would appreciate some comment as to whether people think this is a good idea. The mattress is probably now in the "excess to requirements" category (I have 3 other mattresses) but I dislike having something that is "broken".

Socks · Feb 13th 2014, 11:59pm

maybe try some dish soap and water to help find the leaks on #2

I think you may find #3 not holding under pressure without something backing it up, the glue alone may not be strong enough to stop it from leaking once you apply weight to the pad.

...because of the nature of where the leaks are perhaps the manufacture would except it back under the condition it was a faulty weld. can you send it back?

OzJacko · Feb 14th 2014, 12:10am

rocksNsocks wrote:

maybe try some dish soap and water to help find the leaks on #2

I think you may find #3 not holding under pressure without something backing it up, the glue alone may not be strong enough to stop it from leaking once you apply weight to the pad.

...because of the nature of where the leaks are perhaps the manufacture would except it back under the condition it was a faulty weld. can you send it back?

Not really RS.
Due to having purchased #3 several years ago (online) and cost of mailing to USA and back (Probably around $100) not viable option to mail back.

Just been looking at #2 while it was drying and have a couple of spots that appear to be slow drying. As insulation inside near leaks likely to be wet, will check these points closely.
Currently waiting for Annie to come home and help me hold it under.

BirdBrain · Feb 14th 2014, 12:34am

Spray bottle with dish soap water mix. Inflate and spray away. Submerging is overkill.

OzJacko · Feb 14th 2014, 2:03am

BirdBrain wrote:

Spray bottle with dish soap water mix. Inflate and spray away. Submerging is overkill.

The leak in mattress #2 is very slow.
Cannot locate with the spray bottle method.
Submerging the only way.
The other 2, the holes I've located.
I am just pondering best fix for #3.
Leaving it out there for a while to gather best suggestions.
I still have in standard sizes, another Limon NeoAir, a NeoAir Trekker and another BA (Insulated AirCore) so I'm not short of mattresses.
I figure that I can try some of the best ideas and then report success levels back to be useful to others who may only have the one option.

BirdBrain · Feb 14th 2014, 2:12am

OzJacko wrote:

BirdBrain wrote:

Spray bottle with dish soap water mix. Inflate and spray away. Submerging is overkill.

The leak in mattress #2 is very slow.
Cannot locate with the spray bottle method.
Submerging the only way.
The other 2, the holes I've located.
I am just pondering best fix for #3.
Leaving it out there for a while to gather best suggestions.
I still have in standard sizes, another Limon NeoAir, a NeoAir Trekker and another BA (Insulated AirCore) so I'm not short of mattresses.
I figure that I can try some of the best ideas and then report success levels back to be useful to others who may only have the one option.

I have no advice for fixing the leak. Just criticism for methods of finding leaks. :whistle:
I advised as I did because that is the method we use to find leaks on ships we build for the navy. We seal compartments one by one and test every door, hatch, transit, weld, etc... via spray bottle. The compartments are only pressurized to 2 lbs above atmosphere.

OzJacko · Feb 14th 2014, 2:27am

BirdBrain wrote:

OzJacko wrote:

BirdBrain wrote:

Spray bottle with dish soap water mix. Inflate and spray away. Submerging is overkill.

The leak in mattress #2 is very slow.
Cannot locate with the spray bottle method.
Submerging the only way.
The other 2, the holes I've located.
I am just pondering best fix for #3.
Leaving it out there for a while to gather best suggestions.
I still have in standard sizes, another Limon NeoAir, a NeoAir Trekker and another BA (Insulated AirCore) so I'm not short of mattresses.
I figure that I can try some of the best ideas and then report success levels back to be useful to others who may only have the one option.

I have no advice for fixing the leak. Just criticism for methods of finding leaks. :whistle:
I advised as I did because that is the method we use to find leaks on ships we build for the navy. We seal compartments one by one and test every door, hatch, transit, weld, etc... via spray bottle. The compartments are only pressurized to 2 lbs above atmosphere.

Thanks. I have used the method but due to difficulties with finding leak in #2 resorted to pool. As I was already in, seemed easy enough to do #1 and #3 at same time.
Number 2 and number 3 were issues before we got to Virginia last year.
As IM's bag was a BA that required the mat slid in the bottom, we couldn't replace #3 (the original) for ages and then not long after #2 got a leak too.
That one takes about 3-4 hours to lose enough to bottom out so leak is very very slow..

milkman · Feb 14th 2014, 7:19am

OzJacko wrote:

I still have in standard sizes, another Limon NeoAir, a NeoAir Trekker and another BA (Insulated AirCore) so I'm not short of mattresses.

If you stack all your mattresses on top of each other can you feel a piece of gravel the size of a pea when you lie atop them?

Socks · Feb 14th 2014, 7:42am

OzJacko wrote:

BirdBrain wrote:

OzJacko wrote:

BirdBrain wrote:

Spray bottle with dish soap water mix. Inflate and spray away. Submerging is overkill.

The leak in mattress #2 is very slow.
Cannot locate with the spray bottle method.
Submerging the only way.
The other 2, the holes I've located.
I am just pondering best fix for #3.
Leaving it out there for a while to gather best suggestions.
I still have in standard sizes, another Limon NeoAir, a NeoAir Trekker and another BA (Insulated AirCore) so I'm not short of mattresses.
I figure that I can try some of the best ideas and then report success levels back to be useful to others who may only have the one option.

I have no advice for fixing the leak. Just criticism for methods of finding leaks. :whistle:
I advised as I did because that is the method we use to find leaks on ships we build for the navy. We seal compartments one by one and test every door, hatch, transit, weld, etc... via spray bottle. The compartments are only pressurized to 2 lbs above atmosphere.

Thanks. I have used the method but due to difficulties with finding leak in #2 resorted to pool. As I was already in, seemed easy enough to do #1 and #3 at same time.
Number 2 and number 3 were issues before we got to Virginia last year.
As IM's bag was a BA that required the mat slid in the bottom, we couldn't replace #3 (the original) for ages and then not long after #2 got a leak too.
That one takes about 3-4 hours to lose enough to bottom out so leak is very very slow..

hmm, maybe you could inject #3's pad with a syringe and needle, only a drop at a time and let cure, creating a pooled patch of solidified liquid so to speak on the inside, and a bead on the outside like you mentioned.

LIhikers · Feb 14th 2014, 9:05am

Increase the pressure in the air mat a little at a time until the leak reveals itself.
As for the Neoair with leaks along multiple weld lines, I wouldn't trust it no matter what I did to it. Sounds like a manufacturing problem to me.

Mountain-Mike · Feb 14th 2014, 10:01am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kumSl-cbLlY

OzJacko · Feb 14th 2014, 7:59pm

very interesting Mike.
I'm amazed at the lengths the gram weenies go to.
Good to know how easy it is to seam the edges, but my leaks are along the middle lines. They don't appear to be possible to fix the same way.
The location of them doesn't let me turn it into a shorter mat (who wants a NeoAir 24inches long and 25 inches wide?).
Keep the ideas coming though people.

Socks · Feb 14th 2014, 8:05pm

OzJacko wrote:

very interesting Mike.
I'm amazed at the lengths the gram weenies go to.
Good to know how easy it is to seam the edges, but my leaks are along the middle lines. They don't appear to be possible to fix the same way.
The location of them doesn't let me turn it into a shorter mat (who wants a NeoAir 24inches long and 25 inches wide?).
Keep the ideas coming though people.

Take a yard stick and lay it flat, now turn it up on it's edge...lay faulty weld along it's length, allowing it to drape over and hang there...iron the stuffin out of it (or at least trim some excess off one of the edges and practice with what heat is needed to fuse).

OzJacko · Feb 14th 2014, 8:13pm

rocksNsocks wrote:

OzJacko wrote:

very interesting Mike.
I'm amazed at the lengths the gram weenies go to.
Good to know how easy it is to seam the edges, but my leaks are along the middle lines. They don't appear to be possible to fix the same way.
The location of them doesn't let me turn it into a shorter mat (who wants a NeoAir 24inches long and 25 inches wide?).
Keep the ideas coming though people.

Take a yard stick and lay it flat, now turn it up on it's edge...lay faulty weld along it's length, allowing it to drape over and hang there...iron the stuffin out of it (or at least trim some excess off one of the edges and practice with what heat is needed to fuse).

Not sure how that will go 'socks as if you look at the NeoAir inflated the "grooves" don't join with the back of the mat. Only the edges do. That action may cause more problems although I may consider it.
I would be less hesitant in experimenting if it was my 20" by 72" mat but at 25" by 78" this is a more expensive (and more desirable to us taller people) mat.

Socks · Feb 14th 2014, 11:38pm

OzJacko wrote:

rocksNsocks wrote:

OzJacko wrote:

very interesting Mike.
I'm amazed at the lengths the gram weenies go to.
Good to know how easy it is to seam the edges, but my leaks are along the middle lines. They don't appear to be possible to fix the same way.
The location of them doesn't let me turn it into a shorter mat (who wants a NeoAir 24inches long and 25 inches wide?).
Keep the ideas coming though people.

Take a yard stick and lay it flat, now turn it up on it's edge...lay faulty weld along it's length, allowing it to drape over and hang there...iron the stuffin out of it (or at least trim some excess off one of the edges and practice with what heat is needed to fuse).

Not sure how that will go 'socks as if you look at the NeoAir inflated the "grooves" don't join with the back of the mat. Only the edges do. That action may cause more problems although I may consider it.
I would be less hesitant in experimenting if it was my 20" by 72" mat but at 25" by 78" this is a more expensive (and more desirable to us taller people) mat.

Ah, gotcha, it has that baffel piece inside....I'll sleep on it...no pun intended. :lol:

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